Equipment If you can't drop your weights and you are sinking

[RXTdiver]

I will start by saying I'm aware of the fact that you should always have a quick release mechanism to drop your weights in case of an emergency.

I saw this video of a terrible accident that happened. The girl was in a drysuit and she kept descending rapidly. One of her instructors tried to save her but was unsuccessful. I have some questions.

1. No quick release on the weight pockets? I thought all BCDs had a quick release. If a BCD didn't have a quick release, to put on the weights wouldn't that mean you would have to unzip the pockets, then drop the weights inside? If so, why couldn't the instructor unzip the pockets and just pull the weights out?
2. If you can't get rid of your weights for whatever reason, couldn't you just unbuckle your BCD, take it off, turn it around then unbuckle the tank strap, pull the cylinder out, disconnect the low-pressure inflator hose, drop the BCD then swim to the surface and still breathe from your regulator?

 

[PDodson]

Look up the incident more. This was gross negligence on the part of the instructor/shop. The instructor did not reach her in the water during the emergency, another student did. The instructor found her on a 2nd search dive. She wasn't trained on drysuits, and there was no dive briefing. Not all BCD's have quick release. The weights were in zippered pockets. What I've read says she also had weights in the drysuit pockets. The other student wasn't aware of how to ditch her weights. So if she had 24 lbs in her drysuit, I doubt taking the BC off would have helped, also she could barely breathe from the suit squeeze, I'd assumed limited mobility too. It's a terrible incident that to me really highlights the importance of good training and pre-dive checks/briefings. A lot of trust is placed in instructors/guides and if they aren't prepared the results can be severe.

There are multiple failures along the way to this, zippered weights is on the lower end of the list for me.

 

[CycleCat]

There is an extensive discussion of this event on the board. She was ill-advised by her instructors to dive with rocks in her drysuit pockets (not dumpable) and the inflation connection on her suit was incompatible with her regulator... so she had no buoyancy control.

Edited to add LINK HERE.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I will start by saying I'm aware of the fact that you should always have a quick release mechanism to drop your weights in case of an emergency.

Why?

Quick releases on weights cause more problems than they solve IMO. I prefer a balanced rig along with backup buoyancy (DSMB) in the event it is needed.

Also, there was a LOT more going on with this incident. Horribly overweighted diver, drysuit not connected, weights stuffed in her pockets, etc. Several threads on here about the incident. Look them up. It was a horrible and preventable tragedy.

 

[LFMarm]

No need for quick drop mechanism — you just need to be diving a balanced rig (ie minimum weight).

 

[RXTdiver]

Look up the incident more. This was gross negligence on the part of the instructor/shop. The instructor did not reach her in the water during the emergency, another student did. The instructor found her on a 2nd search dive. She wasn't trained on drysuits, and there was no dive briefing. Not all BCD's have quick release. The weights were in zippered pockets. What I've read says she also had weights in the drysuit pockets. The other student wasn't aware of how to ditch her weights. So if she had 24 lbs in her drysuit, I doubt taking the BC off would have helped, also she could barely breathe from the suit squeeze, I'd assumed limited mobility too. It's a terrible incident that to me really highlights the importance of good training and pre-dive checks/briefings. A lot of trust is placed in instructors/guides and if they aren't prepared the results can be severe.

There are multiple failures along the way to this, zippered weights is on the lower end of the list for me.

I know this was severe negligence with these instructors. I heard that her family sued the dive shop and also discovered that a previous lawsuit had been filed against them.

I thought it was another instructor that tried to help her in the water. If it was another student, since they coujdnt find a quick release, how could they not know to unzip the BCD pockets to take out the weights? That might have helped even if she had weights in her drysuit.

About taking off the BCD and unbuckling the cylinder and low pressure inflator hose and breathing from that, then swimming up, would that work if a different situation if the person had a wetsuit?

 

[RXTdiver]

Why?

Quick releases on weights cause more problems than they solve IMO. I prefer a balanced rig along with backup buoyancy (DSMB) in the event it is needed.

Also, there was a LOT more going on with this incident. Horribly overweighted diver, drysuit not connected, weights stuffed in her pockets, etc. Several threads on here about the incident. Look them up. It was a horrible and preventable tragedy.

This is interesting. I've always heard that everybody should have a quick release. Also, the open water course teaches with a quick release.

How might a quick release cause more problems?

If she didn't have a quick release, wouldn't the weights have to go in the pockets? What alternative is there (maybe I'm overlooking something)?

 

[grantmac]

Quick release weights are an equipment solution to a training problem and are discouraged by almost all technical diving instruction.
At the very most the weight of the gas in the tanks should be releasable and only when diving wet.

 

[rjack321]

How might a quick release cause more problems?

In a drysuit with fluffy undergarments you'll be in a very bad uncontrolled ascent and quite possibly embolize - which is nearly always fatal

 

[Divin'Papaw]

This is interesting. I've always heard that everybody should have a quick release. Also, the open water course teaches with a quick release.

Two things. One, broaden who you are talking to. Two, perhaps consider advanced training.

How might a quick release cause more problems?

1. Losing your weights unintentionally. 2. Uncontrolled ascent.

What alternative is there (maybe I'm overlooking something)?

Backplate and wing instead of a jacket BCD